Dummy warhead for rocket,missile or the like



Am 2, P. L. DE LUCA 3, 0,963

DUMMY WARHEAD FOR ROCKET, MISSILE OR THE LIKE Filed Aug. 15, 1967 Sheet of 2 e/er Z, flelyc prii 2, 19% P. 1.. DE LUCA 3 9 DUMMY WARHEAD FOR ROCKET, MISSILE OR THE LIKE Filed Aug. 15, 1967 Sheet 5 of 2 5 w 44 17 54 W (z;

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United States 3,440,963 DUMMY WARHEAD FOR ROCKET, MISSILE OR THE LIKE Peter L. De Luca, 4932 Newton St, Torrance, Calif. 90505 Filed Aug. 15, 1967, Ser. No. 661,764 Int. Cl. F42b 13/20 US. Cl. 102-92.7 11 Claims ABSTRAUT OF THE DISCLOSURE The dummy warhead of the invention is designed to have a center of gravity closely approximating the actual war head to be used in combat; and it includes a firing pin-percussion cap firing mechanism in its nose for igniting a smoke flare compound so that billows of smoke may issue from the warhead upon impact.

Background of the invention It is essential, for testing fire control systems, and for training the personnel who are to operate the systems, that the rockets, or other projectiles, fired by the fire control system simulates as closely as possible the ballistic characteristics of the projectile which is to be fired in actual combat.

These ballistic characteristics are simulated in the dummy warhead of the present invention, as will be described, by providing an insert composed of steel, or other material exhibiting a relatively high mass. The insert is mounted in the dummy warhead in a selected placement, and in an improved and simple manner, so that the weight and center of gravity of the dummy warhead may be established at essentially that of the warhead which is to be used in actual combat.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved dummy warhead which has uniform ballistic characteristics with respect to other like dummy warheads, so that uniformity may be achieved, and which closely simulates the warhead which is to be used in actual combat.

Another object of the invention is to provide such an improved dummy warhead which is relatively simple and inexpensive to fabricate, and in which the internal mass which determines the center of gravity is firmly and inimovably held within the shell of the warhead.

The dummy warhead of the invention is constructed so that some indication may be given, upon impact, as to whether or not the projectile was on target." This is achieved in the dummy warhead of the invention, as Will be described, by providing an internal firing pin-percussion cap mechanism in the warhead which causes smoke to be emitted thereby upon impact.

Another object of the invention, therefore, is to provide an improved dummy warhead which includes a simple firing pin-percussion cap mechanism capable of igniting a smoke flare compound within the warhead, upon impact of the warhead.

Summary of the inv'ention The invention provides an improved dummy warhead for training and testing purposes, which exhibits essentially the same ballistic characteristics as the warhead to be used in actual combat. This simulation is achieved by atent positioning a mass insert in the shell of the warhead, the mass engaging a shoulder located at a predetermined position near the forward end of the shell with the mass being held in place by longitudinal ribs which are formed in a rear section of the warhead. The aforesaid ribs are driven against the rear face of the mass, and they are compressively deformed by the mass when the warhead is assembled. This not only provides a convenient way of mounting the mass in the shell of the warhead, but it also assures that the mass will be tightly held in the warhead, and that it will not move relative to the aforesaid shell.

The improved dummy warhead of the invention also includes a nose section which is movable with respect to the shell of the warhead upon impact. Such movement of the nose section causes a firing pin to strike against a percussion cap, thereby enabling a smoke flare material, which is stored in the warhead in a compartment adjacent the forward end of the aforesaid mass, to ignite and produce quantities of smoke which issue out of the warhead.

Brief description of the drawings FIGURE 1 is a side sectional view of one embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 1A is a fragmentary representation of the embodiment of FIGURE 1 is a fired condition;

FIGURE 2 is a cross-section of the embodiment of FIGURE 1 taken essentially along the lines 22 of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a side-sectional view of the nose and part of the central section of a second embodiment of the invention; and

FIGURE 4 is a side-sectional view of a modification of the embodiment of FIGURE 3.

Detailed description of the illustrated embodiments The dummy warhead of the present invention, as shown in the illustrated embodiment of FIGURES 1 and 2, includes, for example, a tubular central section 10. This central section is made up of a rear part 12 and of a. forward part 14, these parts being threadably engaged with one another in coaxial relationship, as shown.

The dummy warhead of FIGURE 1 also includes a nose section 16 which is held in spaced relationship with the forward end of the part 14 of the central section by a peripheral skirt which has a bevel 17 at its end, as shown. The bevel 17 engages a shoulder 15 on the part 14. The skirt of the nose section 16 fits over the part 14 in a telescopic relationship, and it is bonded to the peripheral surface of the forward end of the part 14 by means, for example, of a suitable epoxy resin.

When the dummy warhead of FIGURE 1 strikes the target, the nose section 16 is driven back against the forward end of the part 14, and the beveled end 17 of the skirt of the nose section is forced up over the side of the part 14. Therefore, the force required to fire the warhead is a function of the wall thickness of the aforesaid skirt. Therefore, by selecting a particular wall thickness for the skirt, the warhead can be designed to respond to any desired force threshold.

The dummy warhead also includes a separate rear section 18 which is bonded to the rear end of the part 12, likewise by means, for example, of a suitable epoxy resin. The rear section 18 is, likewise, mounted on the central section 10 in coaxial relationship with the central section, and with the nose section 16. The rear section 18 is closed by an end wall 18a. The sections 10 and 18, which form the outer shell of the dummy warhead, may be composed of an appropriate relatively light material, such as aluminum. The nose section 16 may appropriately be diecast, and it may be composed of zinc.

As shown, the nose section is shaped to include a central hammer portion, which nests within a corresponding central bore at the forward end of the part 14. A firing pin 22 composed, for example, of steel, is mounted at the end of the aforesaid central portion of the nose section 16; and a percussion cap 24 is held in the forward end of the part 14, axially aligned with the firing pin 22 and spaced from the firing pin. Upon impact of the dummy warhead, the nose section 16 is driven back against the part 14, so that the firing pin 22 strikes the percussion cap 24. A chamber 26 is formed in the rear of the part 14, and this chamber may include low density combustible materials which ignite upon the firing of the percussion ca 24.

A peripheral shoulder 30 is formed about the inner surface of the part 12 of the central section 10 near the forward end of that part. A slug 32 of substantial mass is inserted into the part 12 to bear against the shoulder 30. The slug 32 may be composed of steel, for example, and it is designed to have a predetermined length, with respect to the length of the shell of the dummy warhead, so that the center of gravity of the dummy warhead may be established at a position closely approximating the center of gravity of the warhead to be used in actual combat. The center of gravity established by the steel slug 32 is represented, for example, by the symbol C of G.

In order to hold the slug 32 tightly in the shell of the warhead, and to assure that there will be no movement of the slug relative thereto, the rear section 18 is provided with longitudinal ribs 36. During the construction of the warhead, the slug 32 is inserted into the part 12 of the central section 10, and the rear section 18 is then forciby moved against the rear face of the slug 32. This causes the slug compressively to deform the ends of the ribs 36, and to be held tightly in place in the central section. The rear section 18 is affixed to the central section 10 by means, for example, of an epoxy bond at the seam 38 A chamber 40 is positioned at the forward end of the part 12 of the central section 10, and this chamber contains any appropriate slow-burning smoke flare compound. An apertured baflle 42 separates the chamber 40 from the compartment 26. Smoke producing holes, such as the holes 44, are provided in the shell of the part 12, in communication with the chamber 40.

It will be appreciated, therefore, that during a training mission, dummy warheads such as described in conjunction with FIGURE 1, may be fired and will follow essentially the same trajectory as the warhead in actual combat, due to the similarity in ballistic characteristics. Also, upon impact, the nose section 16 will be driven back against the forward end of the central section 10, causing the firing pin 28 on the hammer formed by the central portion of the nose section to strike the percussion cap 24. The resulting igniting effect from the percussion cap causes the flare compound in the chamber 40 to ignite, so that smoke will issue out of the holes 44, marking the point of contact of the warhead, and indicating whether or not it was actually on target.

The embodiment of FIGURE 3 is similar to that of FIGURE 1, except that the nose section 16a has a somewhat diiferent shape, and the chamber 40a for the smoke flare compound is contained in a separate part 60 which is attacked to the forward part 14a by means, for example, of an epoxy bond 62. The parts 14a and 60 of the central section maybe threaded into the remaining part of the central section, screw threads 64 being provided for that purpose. The parts may be tightened into place by means of a suitable wrench engaging a pair of flat slots 66 in the part 60. The other parts are similar to those described in conjunction with FIGURE 1 and have been designated by the same numerals with an added a.

In the embodiment of FIGURE 3, the amount of smoke to be generated can be controlled by controlling the size of the chamber 40a. The rate at which the smoke will be 4 discharged from the chamber 40a is determined by the size and number of the orifices 44a.

The invention provides, therefore, an improved dummy warhead which is relatively easy to manufacture and which closely simulates the warhead used in actual combat, insofar as its ballistic characteristics are concerned. Also, the dummy warhead of the invention includes a simple firing mechanism, whereby a smoke marker effect can be achieved by means of a simple impact fuse contained in the nose and forward section of the warhead.

A constructed embodiment of the invention was found to operate with a high degree of satisfaction, and exhibited an ability to discharge smoke into the atmosphere, even though the warhead was buried in sand or immersed in water.

The embodiment of FIGURE 4 is essentially similar to that of FIGURE 3, except that the separate chamber 260: is eliminated, and the chamber 40a has been enlarged accordingly. The latter embodiment, however, is equipped with a safety disarming pin 64 which extends through the nose section 16a and the forward end of the part 14a. This pin prevents any inadvertent firing of the warhead, and it is removed before the actual firing thereof.

The pin 64 may be of the cotter type, and to prevent it from falling out of the warhead its bifurcated sections may be spread to some extent to provide a close press fit for the pin in the warhead. An annular handle 64a is provided for the pin to facilitate its manual removal.

It will be appreciated that in all the illustrated embodiments of the invention, with or without the pin 64, the skirt of the nose section must swage out over the peripheral surface of the adjacent part before the warhead can be fired. This assures that detonation will take place, but only after a predetermined impact threshold has been reached.

What is claimed is:

1. A dummy warhead for a rocket, missile, and the like, including:

a tubular nose section, a tubular central section, and

a tubular rear section, all disposed in coaxial relationship and all affixed one to the other;

said central section having an internal shoulder formed therein adjacent the forward end thereof, and said rear section having longitudinal ribs formed on the inner surface thereof and extending towards the forward end thereof;

and a body of substantial mass with respect to the mass of the aforesaid sections disposed within said central section, with the forward end of said body being adjacent said internal shoulder, and with the rear end of said body bearing against the forward ends of said ribs and compressively disfiguring said ribs.

2. The combination defined in claim 1, in which said body is in the form of a steel slug, said nose section is composed of zinc, and said central and rear sections are composed of aluminum.

3. The combination defined in claim 1, in which said nose section is held in a longitudinally spaced relationship with respect to the forward end of said central sec tion; and which includes a firing pin mounted in said nose section, and a percussion cap mounted at the forward end of said central section in a position to be struck by said firing pin upon rearward movement of said nose section with respect to said central section.

4. The combination defined in claim 3, and which includes a quantity of smoke producing combustible materials stored in the forward end of said central section adjacent the forward end of said mass and which is caused to be ignited upon the striking of said percussion cap by said firing pin.

5. The combination defined in claim 4, in which said central section includes a plurality of parts, a first part housing said mass and said combustible material, and a second part supporting said percussion cap.

6. The combination defined in claim 5, in which said first and second parts threadably engage one another.

7. The combination defined in claim 4, in which said central section includes a plurality of parts, a first part housing said mass, 2. second part housing said combustible material, and a third part supporting said percussion cap.

8'. The combination defined in claim 7, in which said first and second parts of said central section threadably engage one another.

9. A dummy warhead for a rocket, missile and the like including:

a tubular body section including a plurality of axially positioned coaxial parts removably attached to one another;

said coaxial parts including a tubular nose section, a g. tubular central section, and a tubular rear section;

said tubular nose section being afiixed to a first forward part of said tubular body section, said nose section having a peripheral skirt portion positioned to swage up over the adjacent peripheral surface of said forward part of said body section upon rearward movement of said nose section with respect thereto in response to an impact force in excess of a particular threshold;

a firing pin mounted in said nose section;

a percussion cap mounted in said first forward part of said body section at the forward end thereof in position to be struck by said firing pin upon rearward movement of said nose section with respect to said forward part of said body section;

said body section defining a chamber of smoke-producing combustible material in communication with said percussion cap so that said combustible material may be ignited upon the striking of said percussion cap by said firing pin; said central section having an internal shoulder formed therein adjacent the forward end thereof, and said rear section having longitudinal ribs formed on the inner surface thereof and extending towards the forward end thereof; and

a body of substantial mass with respect to the mass of the aforesaid sections disposed within said central section, with the forward end of said body being adjacent said internal shoulder, and with the rear end of said body bearing against the forward ends of said ribs and compressively disfiguring said ribs.

10. The combination defined in claim 9, and in which said body section includes a second part disposed rearwardly of said first part in coaxial relationship therewith,

and in which said first forward part and said second part of said body section threadably engage one another.

11. The combination defined in claim 9 in which said first forward part of said body section defines said chamber of combustible material.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,632,147 6/ 1927 Ragsdale l02--7.6 X 3,094,934 6/1963 Anthony. 3,181,465 5/1965 Anthony.

BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner.

JAMES FOX, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. l02-7.6, 60 

